Topping means for beet harvesters



Jan. 30, 1951 E. L. WlLKINS TOPPING MEANS FOR BEET HARVESTERS Filed Aug. 29, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 KW ww \Y m3 mm QR w mow w: w@ o mm,

on v INVENTOR.

EDWARD L. WILKINS OMQ ATTD R N EYS Jan. 30, 1951 E. WlLKlNS TOFPING MEANS FOR BEET HARVESTERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 29, 1946 EDWARD L .WILKINS AITEI RN EYE E. L. WILKINS TOPPING MEANS FOR BEET HARVESTERS Jan. 30. 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 29, 1946 @T $3 .H 0 Q3 \m EDWARD L.WILKINS ATTURN EYB E. L. WlLKlNS TOPPING MEANS FOR BEET HARVESTERS Jan. 30, 1951 Filed Au 29, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

E DWARD L.WILKINS Patented Jan. 30, 1951 [TE-3D? QFFICBL 2,539,881.. TrPI-NG1 MEANS/FOR BEETgHARvEsTE-Rs w rd-L;- Wilkin r-L s nima olo:

Application August 29, 1946,,Seria'l N0. 6933116 3 Claims... (01. 56-.-.-121.4),-

The invention relates to improvements in-har--- vesting machines; and more especially to an'improved topping means for beet harvesters- The primary object of the invention isthe-pro vision of a machine of this'character; wherein growing. beets within the soil are toppeol trimmed-ilifted-and loaded intoa truck or wagon in -a sin gle operation of the machine,-the-topper: and

lifter units ofthe machine being susceptiblewf. independent I use i from the loading: unit optional with the operator, and where the soil 'isnotin condition for the combined "use of theseunits.

I frame 26, its pivotal connection 28 being of a de-..

Another object of th'e invention isthe provisionofa machine of this character, wherein asingle operator only is required for the servicingof the 1 machine; the :latter being drawn by a tractor or the likeand straddles. two rowsof a crop of beets 1 ata time, andthe toppin unitsis:suchvthatit' can; be disconnected: and used-.to windrow. the.

beets; where .they maybe. picked up and loaded with:the :loading unit;

Azfurther :object- :of :the inventionzis .the provision:of" a machine .of .this. character; whereinxthe construction... thereof .is unique, compact, auto-l.

maticin 'theworking thereof; and novel inits em tirety.

Alstill further object .1of the;inventio1r is; the-1 provisionaof 3 a machine.:of thisrcharacter; which: is comparatively simple;:-:im construction; there oughly; reliable: and; efficientpin;operation,= strong, durable; easy, ofopera-tion, economical in: the,

and install.

With these and otherobjects il'lTVifiWflthGgillvention consists inwthe features of construction,

. working thereof, and.inexpensiveto. marmfacture-v combination and arrangement of-parts as will hehereinafter morefully described, illustrated'inithe accompanying drawings; which discloseathe. pree ferred'embodiment of the invention; and-anointed,

out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanyingqdrawi-ngsa" Figure 1 is a side elevation of themachinecon-nstructed in accordance-with the invention;

Figure 2"is a top plan viewepartly bro-lgenaway;*

Figure 3 is a sectional View.on the:-line-; --31of Figure 1 :wi-tha portionof the -sprocketohainsa-emoved;

Figure his la modifiedffo-rmeof the-invention;

Figure-5 is. a detailedsview of the standard Figure 6 is a sectional view onrtheilinet61fi6 ;of=

Figure 7 is.:;a:sectionakyiewonrthe line.1.-J. of,

Figure land Figure .8; is; .a-.:side-vieW ofjther-fore part ,or-the.

machine,

Referring tothe drawingsin detail, the'reference numeral-2!] designates generally a main sup-s porting frameof the beet harvester machine, and

includes a'forwardly tapered front hitch end 22.,

its.centerhitch-ZA-being for the-purpose of-de tachable connection with a tractor or the like (not shown), for the-draft of the machine through a:- crop-of growing beets. Hinged or otherwise pivotally connected'to this-main frame 29 at therear thereof is a vertically swinging wheeled rear taohabletype. Within this main frame -2Uis=a verticall yvswinging beet topper. and lifter unit comprising side-by-side parallel frames 30 which at their forward ends have pivot.

arms 32, these beingpivoted at 34 :to bearings 36. on thecross silli38, at the front end 22.0f theframe 2!):

The: rear frame26 supports broad-tread traction wheels 49, which are journalled on stub axles;

42 fixed tothe said frame, having a lateral sub-. stanti'ally right-angular spread area 44 beyond the main frame 26, the axles lzibeingjoined theret0.= Theh'inge connections 28 between the main frame 201 and the-rear frame. 26 are preferably medially ofthe latter. At the forward end of this rear frame 26 are coupling;chains.suspended from:

the rear. ends of theyoke frames 30 for the loose connection therebetween, so that when the frames iustably connectedwithretaining plates Elise cured to the frames 30 :by means of :nuts 68,- and; aircoil spring l[l is-mounted,on the. rods for the tensioning; of; thehangers 52 Mounted on the plates fili a the embracing hubs '52 for thepower shafts;v M of;gconcavoconvex; dislg, type rotatable.

beet-top cutters- '56,: the shafts M being. of. the telescopic extensibla-kindand are driven through;

pinionand gear connections lt and 8t respeca v tiyely with, adistributing shaft 82, journalled; throughla housing 84 bracketed, at 86 on a=front;-

support fl'fiiupon thamain framesZBh Thedis tributingshaft 8 2 -15 operated from a .driving sha-ft; sli tnrou h m shin compani ears. and .94.. resn tiyela hasha t .918. bei d pped. with... at

double -yoke 3 universal joint 96 and is actuated from a power take-off (not shown) of a tractor.

The frames 30 at their rear, carry ground wheels 98 (Fig. 2) these being journalled on adjustable stub axles I08 on the said frames 68. Mounted in vertical relation to the frame 20 and the frames 30 are the upright supports i02 (Fig. 3) which are hinged by the horizontal member I04 having a transverse rod I06 journalled in the supports I02 in horizontal relation to the member I04, and on one end of the rod I06 is provided a gear I08 meshing with a gear I I provided with a crank handle H2, these being located at one side of the supports I02, and the rod I06 has chain connection I I4 with the frame 30 for the raising and lowering of the same.

Depending from the sides of the frames 30 rearwardly of the cutters 16 are oval shaped downwardly curved convergent standards II6 (Figs. 3 and 8) adjustably carrying at their free spaced lower ends forwardly directed beet lifter shovels or blades I58 (see also Figs. 1 and 2), which function to penetrate the soil and extract growing beets therefrom on the advancement of the machine, the shovels II8 being connected to the standards II 6 by bolts I20, and the standards have apertured ears I22 at the lower ends thereof to receive the bolt I24, and a set screw I25 tensions the shovels or blades between the bolts I20 and A24.

Mounted transversely of the frames 38 in bearings I26, one at each end thereof, is a shaft I23, and the shaft is driven by a chain drive I 30 trained over sprockets I32 on shaft E28, and sprocket I34 on shaft 62. Shaft i28 has parallel sprockets I36 thereon, having chain drive connections I38 with aligned parallel sprockets I40 journalled in the depending parallel arms 142 mounted on the shaft I28. These chains run directly over each row, and between the shovels H8 a shown more clearly in Fig. 3. The arms I42 are supported at their lower ends by the yokes I44, as shown in Fig. 8 having the rods I46 connected to the arms at I43, and to the yokes by a nut I50, and a coil spring I52 on the rods tensions the arms I42 to hold the chain firmly on the beets. The chain is used to hook the beets at the proper time to pull them back to the elevator.

Arranged at opposite sides of the path of the cutters 16 and in advance of the same on the frame 20 are coulters I58 which are vertically adjustable by a throw lever 58 provided with a hand release latch I62 engaging a stationary keeper segment I64, the latter being on an upright E65 for this lever Hi0.

Hinged to the cross sill 38 of the frame 28 at I56 are rearwardly directed vertically swingable carriers I54 for vertically adjustable wheels I68 which are adjustably connected by means of apertures 18 withthe hinges 52, and each Wheel I68 co-acts with the companion cutter 12 to regulate the depth of top cutting of the beets by the latter. The carriers by such connection do not interfere with the movement of the said cutter on the raising and lowering of the frame 30.

On the rear frame 26 at the forward portion thereof is a forwardly inclined conveyor I12, having endless parallel elevators 14 built therein, which are provided with transverse lift slats I16. The elevators I14 are driven from a shaft I18 by means of sprocket chains I88, and the shaft between the shovels H8.

universal joints I88 and this shaft I82 is driven by chain and sprocket connections I90 and I92 respectively, with the power shaft 00. One of the sections of the shaft I82 is journalled at I94 while the other section is journalled at I96 in a fork I98 of a cross support 200 on the frame 20. The lower roller of the elevators I14 has driving connections at 282 with the horizontally disposed beaters 204 journalled in the front open mouth of the said conveyor I12, adjacent the lower ends of the conveyors I14.

Extending longitudinally of the conveyor I12, intermediate the elevator I14 is a chain drive 206 which keeps the elevators from clogging up This chain runs over the top of the elevators, down between the shovels at the center thereof, and back under the frame 20. This chain passes over sprockets 208 and 2I0, which are mounted at opposite ends of the support 2I2 and sprocket 2I3, journalled at the end of parallel arms 2I4 hinged at 2I6 to the member I04 and then over sprocket 2 I8 on shaft 220 journalled in arms 222, and sprocket 224 on shaft 226 journalled in arms 228. This chain has hooks 230 on it to pull the tops back to keep them from clogging, and the chain is driven by sprocket 232 having chain drive connection 234 with a sprocket 236 on the shaft I18, and an idle sprocket 238 is provided to change the direction of travel of the chain 206, which travels in any opposite direction from the elevators. The support 212 is secured between the frames 38, and can be adjusted up and down as well as forwardly and rearwardly.

At the rear end of the frame 20 crosswise with respect to the conveyor I12 and beneath its high end thereof, is a transferring apron or conveyor 240, its top stretch 242 being horizontally arranged, and this conveyor 240 has driving connections 244 with a sprocket and chain arrangement at 246 and 248 respectively of a loading elevator 250, the latter being driven from connections 252 with the shaft I82. A roller 254 acts on the horizontal stretch 242 of the conveyor 248 to maintain the said stretch so disposed. The load of the elevator 250 is delivered from its high end laterally to one side of the machine, that is to say, the frame 20 thereof.

At the mouth end of the elevator or conveyor I12 are runners 256 which contact with the ground to travel thereon. There are slip-clutches 258 and 288 respectively provided in the connections hereinbefore described.

In Figure 4, the shaft I23 is journalled in the hangers 328 which are adjustably mounted in the sleeve 330 by means of screws 332, and sprockets I36 on shaft I28 are positioned on opposite sides of the eye 334 on the sleeve 330 in which is mounted the hanger 336 having the forked end 338 for connection to the frames 30, and a compression spring 338 is mounted thereon and shovels II8 are mounted as previously described, and

I18 is driven from a shaft 82 by gears I64 mounted in a box 986. The shaft 182 is extensible, sections of the latter being provided with this structure may be used to replace the structure shown in Figure 4.

The wheels support the entire machine at its rear, while the forward portion of the machine is coupled to the tractor and is supported thereby, in addition to the support the machine will have from the wheels 98 and I58, if any support may be had therefrom.

The machine is a complete harvesting machine to top, pull and load beets into a truck or wagon, and the topping unit is built so it can be disconnected and. used to windrow the beets, where they may be picked up and loaded with the loading unit, the disconnection of these units being had at 28.

The machine in its entirety is pulled astraddle of two rows of growing beets with a tractor. The hitch to the tractor is had at24. The main frame 29 carries the topping and pulling mechanism, as well as the wheeled frame 28. The cutters i6 cut the tops from the beets as the machine is advanced, while the shovels or blades H8 lift the growing beets from the soil, and the coulters I58 run on each side of the beet rows to trim the leaves on the side thereof. The wheels I68 for companion cutters l6 regulate the depth of top cutting of the beets.

The frames 3*] can be raised with the ground wheels 98 and thus rendering the topping and lifting mechanisms inactive for their purposes.

The wheels 4H1 support the loading unit and also carry the whole machine when not in operation, the front of the said machine being supported by the tractor.

The points of the lifting shovels or blades are so constructed that as they run under the beets, they lift them from the ground. The lifted beets are pushed by the chains I38 and picked up by the beater 204, which throws the free beets onto the elevator H2 and this elevator delivers them to the screening transfer apron 2 32 which takes out the dirt and delivers the beets to the loading mechanism 250 which carries them to a truck or wagon. The machine in the working thereof requires a single attendant.

It is believed that from the foregoing descrip tion, the construction and operation of the machine will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is to be understood that changes in the minor details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts may be resorted to, provided they fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a beet harvester, the combination of a main frame, a yoke-frame pivoted to said main frame, a pair of arms pivoted to said yoke-frame and depending therefrom, a pair of hangers pivotally connected to said arms, said hangers being provided with longitudinally extending elongated slots, a supporting plate between said hangers, pins extending from said plate and slidably mounted in said slots, a hub carried by said supporting plate, a telescoping shaft rotatably supported by said hub, a disk cutter attached to one end of said telescoping shaft, means on said main frame drivingly engaging the opposite end of said telescoping shaft, a, retaining plate on said yoke-frame, resilient means connected to said retaining plate and said supporting plate biasing the latter away from said yoke-frame, carriers pivoted to said main frame and directed toward said hangers, an adjusting wheel pivoted on said carriers and adapted to engage the ground over which the beet harvester travels, relatively spaced apertures in said hangers, and means coacting with said apertures fOr adjustably and pivotally connecting said carriers to said hangers whereby the height of said disk cutter above the ground over which the adjusting wheel travels is regulated.

2. In the combination of claim 1 wherein the resilient means includes apertured ears on the supporting plate, a suspension rod pivoted to said ears and slidable through the retaining plate, a coil spring in compression about said rod between said plates, and securing means on said rod above said plate for limiting movement thereof through said retaining plate.

3. In the combination of claim 1, and upright supports on said main frame, a rod thereon, a flexible means carried thereby and attached to the yoke-frame, manually-operable means on said shaft for rotating the same whereby the yoke-frame may be raised or lowered relative to said main frame.

EDWARD L. WILKINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,235,490 Kramer July 31, 1917 1,462,486 Devey July 24, 1923 2,072,186 Sishc Mar. 2, 1937 2,376,950 Wilkins May 29, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 426,247 France Apr. 27, 1911 16,743 France Jan. 30, 1913 (Addition to 426,247) 

